String Fundamentals
There are some basics you just need to know about strings. They can help you keep from damaging your guitar and can also make it easier to play or even sound better.
You may remember from a past physics class that a vibrating body generates sound by creating sound waves. One that vibrates at a constant frequency generates a musical tone (if it is within our hearing range). Guitar strings are made to maximize their potential to vibrate in different ways.
- The thickness of a string is called its gauge. In general, the thicker a string, the lower it will sound. That is why the lower sounding strings such as 6 and 5 (see diagram above) are thicker than strings 1 or 2, although they are all the same length.
- The tension on a string determines its pitch. You can hear this when you tune your guitar. The looser the string, the lower the pitch. Sets of guitar strings are manufactured so that each string will have approximately the same tension so that they feel consistent to the player.
- The length of a string affects the pitch as well. If you have two guitars with different length necks, and you put the same gauge of strings on both, the one with the longer neck will require more tension to reach the same pitch. This may not make it more difficult to play since the tension is distributed over a longer distance.
- The material that the string is made of will affect its sound. A heavier material will also require more tension. Some strings are made to keep a bright tone longer, while others are made to interact with an electric guitar pickup more effectively.
- A larger, heavier string displaces more air than a thin one, but this is offset somewhat by our tendency to hear higher sounds louder. Also, most of the sound we hear comes from the top of an acoustic guitar or through the pickups of an electric.
So how does this help you shop for strings?
When you buy a guitar, ask the salesperson what gauge of strings are on it. If there is any doubt, email the manufacturer and ask what gauge they put on the guitar, as well as which ones they recommend. The wrong gauge could possibly void your warranty.
If you find your guitar too hard to play, consider buying lighter gauge strings. Go just one gauge lighter to try this out. For example, if your top string's gauge is .013, try a set with a .012 on top. This small change may make all the difference. (Because you have not changed the length of the strings, you will need less tension for a thinner string.
There is a tradeoff with using lighter strings though - they may make your guitar sound thinner. If this is not something you hear when you change the strings, it may not be a big problem.
On the flip side, if you are not happy with the sound of your guitar, you may improve the richness and volume of its sound by going to a slightly thicker gauge. Buying a new set of strings is a much cheaper alternative to buying a new guitar.
Knowing string gauges is the most reliable way to buy strings. The use of terms like light, medium, and heavy is not standardized. At least know the gauge of your first (top, highest sounding) string.
Wipe your strings after playing to make them last longer. The oils and acids in your fingers will damage the strings and make them wear out. Also, wash your hands before you play.
Used Guitar Strings
Be sure to change your strings when they wear out. Old strings make a good guitar sound bad.
Retrieved from http://davewalkermusic.com
Check these guitar strings at Guitar Emporium Online
How to change your guitar strings using the "tie" method
Check these guitar strings at Guitar Emporium Online
Types of Guitar Strings
Guitar strings fall into either the coated or uncoated category. Coated strings are where the wound strings(usually the 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd) are coated with some sort of protective material to help them maintain that bright new sound longer. This is because with the coating dirt, skin oils, and other stuff cannot build up in between the string windings, which is what deadens the string. Different companies coat their strings differently, Elixer being the first company to come out with such a product.
Coated strings generally feel slicker out of the box than regular strings, which some folks don’t like. They do tend to minimize string squeaks though. Elixers seem to have a thicker coating than other strings, and to me that seems to give them a more mellow, fat tone when compared to the bright and crispness of regular strings. Its not good or bad, just something different.
Uncoated guitar strings fall into a lot of different categories. Lets check em out.
Phosphor Bronze – Probably the most common type of acoustic guitar string, they were introduced by the Diadarrio Company in 1974. They have a bright, warm, and balanced.80/20 Bronze – The original steel guitar string. So called because they are made up of 80% copper and 20% tin. Some folks think 80/20’s to be brighter initially.
Silk and Steel – These combine a copper wrap with silk for a mellow tone and easier fretting with the left hand due to the silk. They are not near as loud as all metal strings, and may work well for smaller body guitars that have a more intimate sound.
Nylon – Nylon strings are for classical guitars. They have much less tension at full pitch, and a nice warm round tone. They are only really appropriate on classical guitars, so if you are not sure what kind of guitar you have, take it into a guitar store and ask.
Flatwound Strings – On flatwound strings the outer wire wrapping is square instead of round, so once wrapped the surface of the string is much smoother. This allows less dirt and gunk to build up, which makes the string last longer. I have not played on them much myself, but folks seem to say that flatwound strings have a different tone than regular round wound strings.
So now that you have a different idea of the various types of strings go try some of them out. I would say the majority of acoustic guitars use Phosphoer Bronze, 80/20’s, or one of the many coated strings out there. Different guitars may sound better with different strings. In the past i mostly used coated strings, either Elixers or Diadarrio EXP’s. However, on my present guitar it seems to sound best with regular phosphor bronze strings.
Check these guitar strings at Guitar Emporium Online
Short List of Guitar Accessories
- Guitar amps: If you're going to play an electric guitar, you can't do without an amplifier. However, there are hybrid acoustic guitars that come with pickups, so you can choose to play them plugged or unplugged.
- Picks: It's truly amazing how such a small thing like a guitar pick can add so much tonal clarity to your playing. Picks come in different shapes and materials so you can choose a combination that best suits your playing.
- Guitar stands: Although not essential, guitar stands do come in handy, especially if you need to leave your instrument on stage while you take a break.
- Tuners: Honestly, you can't play decently if you're not in tune. Tuning forks, pitch pipes and electronic guitar tuners can all come in quite handy.
